Why Is High Functioning Autism No Longer Used? Understanding the Change

The term “high functioning autism” is no longer widely used because it oversimplifies the complex realities autistic individuals face. Originally, it described autistic people without intellectual disabilities, often with strong language skills. But this label focused mostly on IQ, missing daily challenges in communication, social skills, and self-care.

What Changed?

Research shows IQ is a poor predictor of how much support someone needs. Many labeled “high functioning” still struggle with essential life skills. This label can wrongly minimize their struggles and reduce access to needed services.

Autistic advocates also highlight that such labels are misleading and stigmatizing. They ignore the varied strengths and challenges each person has and contribute to inaccurate expectations.

Today, clinicians prefer using DSM-5 levels of support that focus on an individual's specific needs rather than broad, static labels like “high functioning.”

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FAQ

Sources:

• https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/high-functioning-autism
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK332877/ 
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4557354/